Ongoing mass education drive encourages responsible liquor trading

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT) and the South African Breweries Limited (SAB) East Coast Region hosted a Responsible Trader Programme Mass Education Rally on 21 November 2011 as a continuation of their partnership to promote responsible trading across the province.

The DEDT and SAB joined forces at the launch of the KZN leg of the Responsible Trading Programme in March this year. This partnership has seen the training of 2 600 liquor traders to date and strengthened the initiative of an advertising campaign, entrenching the awareness and importance of responsible trading through billboard messaging.

Approximately 600 traders from Newcastle and surrounding areas participated in a three-hour long Mass Education Rally at Black Rock Casino in Newcastle earlier this week.

The Mass Education Rallies incorporate insightful, engaging and entertaining industrial theatre and commentary to drive the key messages of the programme. A game show at the end of each session ensures traders have absorbed and understood the content and its importance.

SAB developed the Responsible Trading Programme in response to the company’s concern of the harm alcohol abuse can cause to communities. Its main objective is to encourage self-regulation amongst traders by creating awareness of the social, health and economic consequences of irresponsible trading. Championing co-regulation within the liquor industry through targeted interventions, including the Responsible Trader Programme, is a key tenet of SAB’s Alcohol Strategy.

The Responsible Trader Programme focuses on three key areas:

1.     Creating awareness about the need for responsible consumption and the role the trader plays in driving a reduction of alcohol abuse in their respective communities;

2.     Building trader competence in actively ensuring responsible trading in the outlet; and

3.     Building trader competence in creating awareness amongst outlet staff and customers about responsible trading and the harm caused by alcohol abuse.

Added to the negative impact of their behaviour on individuals and communities, traders run the risk of losing their license to operate and as a consequence, their income and livelihood, preventing them from caring for their families and loved ones.

Major General Bethuel Maseko, SAPS Cluster Commander in Newcastle, commented that SAPS is taking a hard approach and encouraged traders to fully comply with licence conditions. “South Africa has placed a spotlight on looking for a solution to substance abuse. KwaZulu-Natal in particular has declared a no-nonsense approach to licensed outlets which fail to comply with license conditions.”

SAB highlighted the impact traders had in the fight against alcohol abuse through responsible trading. Dr Vincent Maphai, SAB executive director corporate affairs and transformation, adds, “As recognised leaders in their respective communities, our traders are the most powerful force in the fight against the harm caused by alcohol abuse. Behaving responsibly and creating awareness of the dangers of alcohol abuse amongst their staff and customers can have a positive and long term impact on communities.

“At the same time, responsible trading has an impact on business sustainability. Traders need to change the way in which they do business in order to thrive and to survive and responsible trading is how they achieve this,” concludes Dr Maphai.

The Responsible Trader Programme was designed through an extensively consultative process involving relevant regional government stakeholders, law enforcement agencies and industry representatives. Interactive and collaborative workshops were held to gain an understanding of critical issues faced by each role player on the challenge of alcohol abuse, regulation and control, as well as for each to give input into the content of the Responsible Trader Programme.

“We believe that true progress in the fight against alcohol abuse in South Africa can only be achieved when all relevant players, including industry and regulators, join forces to provide more robust and wide reaching initiatives. It is impossible for a single individual or institution to turn this grave situation we are facing around. We need to work together to achieve real and positive change,” says Dr Maphai.

The Responsible Trader course content includes the following:

• Drinking responsibly e.g. effects of alcohol abuse
• Women and drinking e.g. drinking during pregnancy
• Underage drinking e.g. effects of alcohol on teenagers
• Disturbance e.g. noise levels
• Drinking and driving
• Intoxicated customers e.g. refusing to sell more alcohol
• Illegal behaviour e.g. opening and closing hours
• Responsible communication and promotion of alcohol.

Traders who participated in the launch phase of the training rated the programme high on the application of knowledge and skills to their working environment.

SAB expects to expand on the Responsible Trader Programme over the coming months and to further build relationships with government and industry to assist in strengthening the success of the programme into the future.

Pictured above are (from left): Host of the Mass Education Rally show Sbu, Greg Uys (SAB GM), Dr Vincent Maphai (SAB executive director corporate affairs and transformation), Mbuso Dlamini (from Dipha’s Tavern in Greytown and winner of a Sports Star Experience), General Bethuel Maseko (SAPS Cluster Commander Newcastle), and Wayne McCauley (SAB director of sales and distribution).